Random Bike Rides: Ōtāhuhu to Manukau with extras

This afternoon, our director, Louise Tu’u, went for a much needed bike ride, using a train, which was very novel. Mainly because Auckland Transport train services on Sunday and weekends in general, were missing in action for the past couple of years, she gave up, checking the website but spontaneously checked today and voilà! Trains and fine weather were ON.

Heading from her base in Ōtāhuhu, she rode from the train station and caught a train to Manukau, where she visited Hayman Park, which has had a massive renovation. While there, Louise also checked out the skate bowl and looped it seemingly endlessly, before checking out the rest of the park.

Thanks to the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board’s investment, the playground is a stunner and therefore packed with families. Who could blame them? It is truly beautiful and high, a perfect temptation for children.

Heading to Westfield Manukau for an ice-cream (C’mon Westfield, where is the bike parking?), she caught a train back and got off at Middlemore for a change of scene, where she discovered so many cars. The slow ride back home through Rosella Road in Mangere East and over the Mangere Road bridge was pleasant and busy.